Shanghai Old Street

Shanghai Old Street

If you want to look back on the bygone days of Shanghai, the Shanghai Old Street will lead you to travel through the time tunnel back to 100 years ago. The reconstructed Old Street is 825m in total length. It is separated into two sections by Guanyi Street. The eastern section extends to Renmin Road and the western section to Henan Road. In the old days, the street was an Old Street gathering all the 360 trades of China, it once gathered a group of pawnshops, private banks, gold shops, silverware shops, wine shops, teahouses, theatres and hongs. Meanwhile, it is a passageway for the flowing passengers joining the Shilipu, the Town God Temple and the Yu Garden area. Since the reestablishment, the Old Street has re-created the lost trades, such as the coins banks, mahogany furniture shops, pawnshops, old style teahouses, old wine shops, embroidery shops etc.

The buildings in the Old Street are differently, the eastern section still keeps the characteristics of the houses in the late Qing Dynasty (A.D.1840--1911) and the early Republican period (1912-1919). The buildings in the western section are to model after the architecture style of Ming (A.D.1368-1644) and Qing (A.D.1616-1911) Dynasty, the lattice windows, the painted tablets make the street full of ancient atmosphere.

Now in the simple old architectures, some newly-built scenic landmark buildings have become the highlights in the Old Street. Coming here you would be overwhelmed by three Pailou(decorated archway) with diverse styles, an ancient stage and a leisure long Corridor.